


Downtown

by QueenPlatypus



Category: Open Heart (Visual Novels)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Late at Night, Mistletoe, Night walks, Song Lyrics, Working on Christmas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:02:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28306491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenPlatypus/pseuds/QueenPlatypus
Summary: They're both working on Christmas day, but Hailey still wants to share a special moment with Ethan.
Relationships: Ethan Ramsey/Main Character (Open Heart)
Kudos: 11





	Downtown

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas, everyone! This is my last fic about the holidays for this year! I hope you like it.
> 
> Also, this fic is loosely based on the song Downtown by Allie X. The parts in italic are her lyrics.

Being a doctor came with a lot of responsibilities. It was something established very clearly among the people. Being a doctor meant long shifts, rare and short vacations and the risk of being called to work even on a day off. Every single working doctor knew this and all of them were ready to put in the work, no matter what it meant. Because they were frontline workers. Because someone _had_ to be there in case of an emergency.

Unfortunately, no one could ever plan an emergency coming. And so, even when the rest of the country could take a break for two weeks at the end of the year, most doctors had to be ready for whatever possibility.

This is why, even on Christmas day, both Ethan Ramsey and Hailey Fisherman were working just like any other day. They had a case: a 35 year-old woman coming in with cramps. Of course, a few hours later, they were able to deliver a diagnosis and resume with the rest of their day. Fortunately, even the patients, at least some of them, were cheery: which helped a lot of people, working or not. Hailey herself was able to smile during her shift, even if she had to settle for a short video chat with her family instead of actually sharing dinner around a table. Instead of actually spending the whole day with her boyfriend, be it in their sheets or chatting idly with other people.

_Love is a condition of the head_

_Wanna push a button and reset_

_But you’re still up in my skirt_

Still, she wanted to spend a bit of her Christmas with her special someone. So when she had no urgent task to do, she headed to the diagnostics team’s office, unsurprisingly finding him there, eating something from a Tupperware.

“Smells good. What are you eating?” She asks him.

“Fried rice. Want a bite?”

“Hm, yes.”

Walking to him, she takes the fork from his hand and plunges it into the food, taking some into her mouth. She closes her eyes, savoring the taste.

“Chef Ethan is my favorite cook, no doubt.” Hailey says, giving him the fork back.

“I’ll tell him.” He replies, a smirk on his face.

Hailey rolls her eyes, but then remembers why she came to see him.

“Say… Do you want to go on a walk with me downtown when we’re done with our shifts?”

“A walk? Are you sure? It’s kind of cold today…”

“Heh, I’ll be fine. Nothing my trusty coat and winter boots can’t cover. So? It will be the occasion to spend a little part of Christmas the two of us…”

“Indeed… Can I ask why downtown though?

“For a change in scenery. I don’t have any recollection of the two of us just… being there.”

He nods, covering her hand with his.

“Then… We’ll go.”

She smiles, leaning to give him a short peck before getting up and leaving him alone, a grin expanding on her face although she misses him already.

_I thought if you had a piece of me_

_I could keep the other two or three_

_But now that’s not how it works_

***

When they’re both done, they head out, their hands clasped together while they wish the night staff a good night. Hailey uses the occasion to snuggle against him as they head to his car, both having decided earlier it would be better to go downtown this way before actually walking in it.

“You seem… enthusiastic to be with me, tonight. Except the whole Christmas jitters, anything else I should know?” He asks, a smile in his voice.

She giggles, sighing before shaking his head.

“Nothing more than usual. I guess I just missed you.”

_Love is a condition of the head_

_There is no prescription to forget_

_So you’re all over my brain_

“Really? But we see each other every day.”

“Yes… At work. It’s been a while since we’ve… gone somewhere. Out of our apartments. And while I still very much appreciate these moments… I want to show what a great catch I got.”

“I still like to think I’m the lucky one, between the two of us. So _I’ll_ be the one showing _you_ off, tonight.”

“How about we compromise and do both?”

“Deal.”

They settle inside the car, letting it warm up a few minutes before driving off.

_You’re the blue fix that makes me run_

_I’ll do anything to get me some_

_Stop me before it’s too late_

When they get close enough, Ethan parks the car. They get out and walk side by side on the sidewalk. At this hour, what usually is a busy place is mostly quiet. Some parties are being held inside restaurants, there are a few families and couple walking, but mostly, the streets are empty. It’s peaceful and Ethan seems to appreciate it. Hailey smiles, nudging him with a grin before taking his hand and making him follow her. Ethan complies, not a single complain in mind as he sees where she’s headed: an artistic installation.

They walk between the different sculptures: some are made in ice, others are decorated with light bulbs, everything in all shapes and sizes.

“I want a selfie with you in front of this. Do you mind?” She asks, handing him her phone.

“Not at all.”

They place themselves, Ethan rising up the phone the same way she taught him to. He snakes one arm on her waist and she uses the occasion to lay her head against him, smiling brightly at her own reflection.

“C’mon, smile for the camera!” She encourages him.

He rolls his eyes, a smile forming on its own as he presses his thumb on the white circle at the bottom of her screen.

_Take me downtown_

_Use my body all night_

_Make me feel like last time_

_Make it taste like love_

“Here you go, sunshine.” He says, handing back her phone.

“Why, thank you, kind sir.”

She smiles, slipping once more her hand into his to drag him her way. But then, something catches his eye. Something even she had not seen.

“Hails, do you trust me?”

“… Yeah? Kind of late to ask me this, don’t you think?”

“Possibly.” He admits.

She smiles, touching his cheek.

“What is it?”

“Can you… close your eyes and let me take the lead for a while? There’s something I want to do.”

“Okay. You better not push me in the snow, though! I’ll never forgive you if you do.”

He chuckles.

“Speaking from experience?”

“Yeah… And I don’t need a repeat.”

“I wasn’t planning on it.”

She nods, closing her eyes and clasping his hand with her own. He squeezes back, pulling her along with him until he gets under the lit-up arch. He places her first before stepping right in front of her, lifting his head up slightly to make sure they’re under it. He takes in a sharp breath before closing the distance, settling his hands on her hips and pulling her to him. She has the reflex to catch herself by putting her two hands on his shoulder. She still hasn’t opened her eyes, but her smiles keeps growing.

“Eyes shut, okay?”

“When can I open them?”

“You’ll know.”

He pulls her even closer to him at the same moment he leans in to press his lips on hers. She gasps, not from the surprise, but from the sensation. Feeling him shiver as he starts caressing her lips, she slips her hands behind his neck, trying to erase any existing distance between the two of them. Getting the hint, he slips his tongue into her mouth while he presses their hips together, making her sigh as she returns the kiss, melting into it.

Their tongues battle for dominance for a short time before he lets her have it, content in letting her set the pace while his hands explore her body through her winter coat. He’d prefer the real feel of her skin of course, but right now, feeling her all over him as it starts to snow is everything he could have asked for.

Finally, they break the kiss, Ethan leaning his forehead on hers as they both breathe heavily from the embrace they just shared. Hailey smirks, looking up.

“Didn’t take you for a mistletoe guy.” She whispers, hiding her face in the crook of his neck.

“Me neither. But… It’s Christmas and I wanted to give you something special.”

“And a kiss from you is special enough, I’ll give you that.”

She looks up to him once more, cupping both of his cheeks with her gloved hands.

“I love you.”

“Love you too.”

She cuts the distance, kissing him once more. Ethan returns the kiss eagerly, letting her body warmth remind him that he’s the luckiest person on Earth to have her. Internally, Hailey thinks exactly the same thing, feeling like the luckiest person ever.

“Merry Christmas, Ethan.” She sighs into the kiss.

“Merry Christmas, Hailey.”

_Take me downtown_

_Yours until my heart dies_

_Give it up one last time_

_Give it up for love_


End file.
